Means for extinguishing incendiary bombs



Feb. 8, 1944. o. E. ELLICK MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING INCENDIARY BOMBSFiled Oct. 21, 1942 Sta INVENTOR.

OTTO E. ELLICK Patented Feb. 8, 1944 MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING INCENDIARYBOMBS Otto E. Ellick, Covington, Ky.

Application October 21, 1942, Serial No. 462,815

8 Claims.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers, and more particularly tomeans for extinguishing incendiary bombs and other burning objects.

An object of the invention is to provide an incendiary bombextinguishing device which includes means for simultaneously dischargingquantities of non-combustible granular liquidborne material onto thebomb or other burning object to be extinguished, in such a manner as toaugment the fire extinguishing characteristics of the granular materialand liquid when used alone.

Another object of the invention is to provide a nozzle for dispersingdry granular material by means of liquid under pressure whereby theobject to be extinguished will be thoroughly coated with liquid-borneparticles of non-combustible granular material.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means forselectively controlling the discharge of the two fire extinguishingingredients either separately or in unison.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device having thehereinabove described characteristics which may be inexpensivelymanufactured using mass production methods.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and,disclosed in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of one form of the device.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2' of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a Vertical section through a discharge nozzle comprising amodification of the invention.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the device showing a second modifiedform of discharge nozzle.

Fig. 6- is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 1 showing one formof sand control valve mechanism in a closed position.

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6, but showing the valve in a fullyopened position.

As disclosed in Fig. 1, the present device may comprise, broadlyspeaking, a hood or cover member 1-0, a handle member H which is securedto and extends from hood [0, and a pair of tank members [-2 and hi,each-of which-is secured to and. carried by handle H. Hood or covermember H! may comprise a top wall M from the outer perimeter ofwhichoutw-ardl-y divergent side walls lidepend. The lower edge 18 ofside walls 15 is adapted to rest upon a supporting surface denotedgenerally by the numeral 11-, which may comprise the surface of theground, a roadway, a floor, table top, and/or the like, for completelyenclosing the article to be extinguished, such as incendiary bomb is, orthe like, of Figs. 2 and 3.

With reference to Fig. 1, it will be observed that ftank l2 may comprisea liquid storage tank the lower end IQ of which may be connected toliquid nozzle 2!] by means of pipe 2|. Tank 13 comprises a storage tankfor dry finely divided granular material, the lower end 22 of which maybe connected to a granular material discharge nozzle 23 by means of pipe24. It should be understood that tanks l2 and I3 and pipes 2| and M maybe suitably secured to handle I l by any convenient means, such asstraps l2 or the like.

The liquid storage tank l'2 preferably includes means for selectivelyestablishing a pressure head on the fluid housed therein. If desiredsuch means may comprise a fire extinguisher device of the type whereinsulphuric acid is caused to act with sodium carbonate for generatingcarbon dioxide which is adapted to expel the liquid'under considerablepressure through pipe 2i and nozzle 20. Suitable means such as a handle25 may be provided for selectively facilitating mixing of sulphuric acidwith the sodium carbonate for gener ating pressure within liquid tankl2. In the preferred form of the invention, a valve denoted by thenumeral 26 may be provided at the end IQ of tank 12. Said valve may beopened in response to a pull on operating lever I26, to the right, byactuator 21. Actuator 21 may comprise a length of rod, chain, Wire, orrope, and in order to facilitate ease of operation the upper end ofactuator 21 may terminate in a ring member 28 which may readily begrasped by an operator desiring to open valve 28. Ring 23 may be slippedover an upstanding pin 29 on hand grip member I00 for precludingaccidental or unintentional closing of valve 26.

Tank I3 is adapted to be filled with a quantity of fine, dry, freeflowing sand or any other, dry, finely divided free flowingnon-combustiblegranular material, the flow of which may be controlled byany suitable means such as by a valve member which, as disclosed inFigs. 6 and '7, may comprise a damper member 31 suitably mounted formovement to a positionat substantial right angles to the longitudinalaxis of pipe 2 3, or to av position in parallelism with saidlongitudinal axis. When disposed at rig-ht angles to the longitudinalaxis of pipe 2 as disclosed in Fig. 6, damper 3| will preclude the flowof granular mate rial from. pipe 24 into nozzle 23. Damper 31 may bepivoted about its axis 3 2 by means of beneath the center of top wallit. material discharged from nozzle 23 will fall onto the downwardlydivergent balile wall 50, whereas .the rest of the sand is dischargedinto tube .cular fluid nozzle 56.

actuator 33, the lower end of which may be secured to operating arm 34of damper 3!. The upper end of actuator 33 may be provided with a ring35 which may be similar in all respects to ring 28.

In operation, hood H] may be lowered over the article to beextinguished, such as incendiary bomb [8, after which handle 25 may bemanipulated for the purpose of initiating a chemical reaction betweenthe sulphuric acid and sodium carbonate contained within tank l2. Afterthe chemical reaction has started, actuator 2'! may be pulled foropening valve 25 thereby permitting the fluid from tank H! to flow underpressure into pipe 2| and discharge head 28, from which it will bedischarged through orifices or jets All. The extinguishing action of thefluid thus discharged from jets will tend to extinguish, or at leastdiminish the danger from bomb l8, however, it is preferable to augmentthe the interior of hood ID will be filled with a mass of swirlinggranular particles which are driven by the high pressure fluid.Experiment has demonstrated that when such particles of fluid impelledmaterial are discharged into housing Ill and deposited on bomb I8, thebomb is quickly brought under control, and the damage done by theburning bomb is effectively confined to that portion of the flooringwhich was burned by the bomb prior to the placing of hood l0 thereover.

With reference now to Fig. 4, it will be observed that the nozzleillustrated is adapted to more evenly distribute the fluid-impelledgranular particles which are discharged onto a downwardly divergentbaffle plate 4| from a restricted discharge port 42, the granularmaterial falling ,from the free lower edge in a hollow or cylindricalstream or wall which completely surrounds the fluid discharge head 43.sum from tank I2 is discharged through jets 44 which are disposed at anangle relative to the diverging granular material deflecting baffleplate ill in such a manner as to pick up and disperse Liquid under presthe falling sand as it leaves the bottom edge 55 ,of plate M.

The device disclosed in Fig. 5 difiers from that disclosed in Fig. 4 inthat it provides means for distributing the granular material moreevenly than is possible with the device of Fig. 4, since it includesmeans for supplying a quantity of liquid impelled granular material tothose portions of the hood supporting surface ll located directly Someof the provided centrally of wall 56. The sand which is discharged ontobaiile wall will be deflected and carried by gravity down said wall, andbe discharged from lower edge 52 in a hollow cylindrical stream. Thematerial which falls into tube 54 may be discharged through ports 53.

Fluid from tank I2 under pressure may be discharged from orifices orjets 54 and 55 of a cir- The fluid discharged from jets 54 will act uponthe particles of granular material which fall from edge 52 of wall 50,and

As the dry the fluid discharged from jets 55 will act upon the granularmaterial discharged from ports 53, whereby the interior of hood l0 willbe thoroughly filled with liquid-impelled particles of noncombustiblegranular material.

It should be understood that tanks I2 and I3 are preferably disposed atan elevation higher than top wall M in order that gravity may beutilized to assist the flow of granular material and fluid through pipes24 and 25 respectively. It will also be understood that any suitablemeans for controlling the flow of fluid and sand to their respectivedischarge nozzles may be utilized without departing from the spirit ofthe invention. If desired, water may be stored in liquid tank 12, inwhich event handle 25 would comprise the handle of a suitable waterpumping device which could be operated to expel water from jets 40, 44,54 and 55 under pressure. It should likewise be understood that any typeof non-combustible granular substances may be used such as sand and thenewly developed fire extinguishing powders now on the market.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a hood having a top walland depending side walls to provide a housing open at its bottom, ahandle secured to and carried by said top wall, a fluid storage tank anda sand storage tank secured to and carried by said handle, a fluiddischarge nozzle and a sand discharge nozzle depending from said topWall, means interconnecting said tanks with their respective nozzles,and means operable from said handle for controlling the discharge ofsand and liquid housed within said chambers.

2. A device of the class described comprising a hood including a topwall and divergently depending side walls which define a closed housingopen at its bottom, a pair of closed receptacles, means for fixing saidreceptacles relative to said housing, a pair of discharge nozzlesmounted within said housing, means connecting for liquids and areceptacle for finely divided granular material, means for fixing eachof said receptacles relative to said housing, a fluid dis- .chargenozzle and a granular material discharge nozzle mounted within saidhousing, a conductor connecting the receptacle for liquids with thefluid discharge nozzle and a conductor connecting the receptacle forgranular material with the granular material discharge nozzle, and meansfor remotely controlling from the handle the discharge of liquid andgranular material from said nozzles.

4. As a new article of manufacture av nozzle ior intermixing finelydivided dry granular material with liquid under pressure and fordispersing the granular material, by the liquid, said device including adischarge port for dry granular material, means associated with saidport for distributing the granular material in a hollow stream, and adischarge port for fluid underpressure, said last mentioned port adaptedto direct fluid under pressure against the granular material formoistening and impelling said granular material as it leaves said firstmentioned means.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hoodincluding a top wall and divergently depending side walls which define aclosed housing open at its bottom, of means for discharging into saidhousing liquid-borne particles of granular material, said meansincluding a discharge port for dry granular material, bailie meansdisposed below said port for deflecting and distributing the granularmaterial in a hollow stream, and a fluid discharge nozzle mounted belowsaid baflle means and disposed interiorly of a hollow stream of granularmaterial discharge from said baflie means, said nozzle including fluiddischarge orifices arranged to direct fluid toward the hollow stream ofgranular material.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a hoodincluding a top wall and divergently depending side walls which define aclosed housing open at its bottom, of means for discharging into saidhousing liquid-borne particles of granular material, said meansincluding a discharge port for dry granular material, a bafliecomprising an inverted funnel shaped downwardly diverging wall having afree lower edge disposed below said port for deflecting and distributingthe granular material in a hollow stream from its lower edge, and fluiddischarge means centrally located below said baffie, including fluiddischarge orifices arranged to direct fluid toward the free edges ofsaid bafile whereby the granular material will be moistened and impelledby the liquid as it is discharged from said baflle.

7. A device of the class described comprising a hood having a top walland divergently depending side walls to provide an open bottomedhousing, a handle secured to said top wall, a fluid storage tank and adry granular material storage tank secured to and carried by saidhandle, said fluid storage tank including means for selectivelyestablishing a pressure head on the fluid housed therein, nozzle meanslocated interiorly of said housing for intermixing and dispersinggranular material by liquid under pressure, means connecting each ofsaid tanks to said nozzle means, and. independently operable means forselectively controlling the flow of granular material and liquid underpressure from their respective tanks to said nozzle.

8. A device of the class described comprising a hood having a top walland divergently depending side walls to provide an open bottomedhousing, a handle secured to said housing, a receptacle for dry granularmaterial and a receptacle for fluid, said fluid receptacle includingmeans for selectively establishing a pressure head on the fluidcontained therein, means for fixing said receptacle relative to saidhousing whereby the granular material of said first mentioned receptaclewill flow by gravity toward the top wall of the housing when the openbottom thereof is placed upon a substantially horizontal surface, nozzlemeans located interiorly of said housing for intermixing and dispersinggranular material throughout the interior of said housing by liquidunder pressure, conductors connecting said receptacles with said nozzlemeans, a manually operable valve disposed in each conductor forcontrolling the passage of material to said nozzle means, and actuatormeans, one for each of said valves, for facilitating remote control ofsaid valves from said handle.

OTTO E. ELLICK.

